Menu

Category Archives: Insurance

Insurance can be a confusing field to navigate for many. People want the best coverage, but no one is happy about having to pay too much for it. Read on for some tips on how to handle insurance matters, and empower yourself to handle such things with ease.

Many insurance providers offer significant discounts for bundled services. For one set price, you can get home owner’s and car insurance. Insurance companies usually offer discounts if you have your car insurance and your residential insurance such as homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policy with them. You should however make sure you are purchasing insurances that you really need.

Find an overall insurance carrier to handle all of your insurance needs. Very often, if you bundle all your insurance needs and bring them all to one carrier, you are eligible for major discounts. If you change car insurance companies on one type of insurance and not the other, you may lose money as the rate increases on the other insurance you have with that company.

Always document your claims and keep accurate records. This will make your claim experience smoother. If you speak with an insurance company representative regarding your claim, make a note of the person’s name and the date on which you spoke with that person. Each time you communicate with an insurance company representative confirm what transpired during the communication with an email or letter to preserve the content of the communication in writing.

Explain to your insurance agent what happened as soon as you can. You should take photographs of any damaged property. Don’t attempt to falsify information to get more money. Not only would you not get paid, you will probably get into a lot of trouble.

Look over your coverage on a yearly basis and ensure that it is still the best suitable option for your current situation. It’s a good idea to get new automobile and homeowners insurance quotes yearly to make sure you’re getting the best rates. Also, review your deductibles and coverage amounts to make sure that you are not over-insured. Things like a new child or a changed financial situation should be taken into account.

It is often best to have a specific strategy in mind as you select your insurance policy. If you pick one with a lower deductible, you pay a larger upfront cost, but you’re completely protected in an accident. You could set your insurance policy to have a high deductible and pay less per month, but if something does happen, you will be responsible to pay the higher deductible before the insurance company will fix any of the damage that is done to your vehicle.

Check over your insurance policies periodically. Get quotes from several agents to see if they can offer you lower rates. The extra costs from these oversights can really add up, so pull out those policy documents and read them thoroughly.

Learn the ropes about the insurance you need and make sure to shop around for the best rates you can find. When someone is well educated about many insurance companies, they can be sure to make the right choices on their coverage. When one knows more about insurance, the better prepared they are when getting a plan.

As stated at the beginning of the article, there are many different types of insurance available. Hopefully you have discovered ways you can insure yourself and/or your property that you hadn’t thought of before. Having insurance gives you piece of mind that in the unfortunate event of a tragedy, illness, or accident, you and your family will be covered, and a bit more prepared

At anytime, 24 hours a day, 7 days, anyone with access to the internet can get multiple quotes and coverage from top car insurance companies. Policies ranging from car insurance, motorcycle, RV, boat and just about anything in between. All it takes is a few minutes of your time.

The days when you had to drive to your local insurance agent’s office and accept whatever policy she had available are over. With the world wide web, you have access to insurance companies all over the world! This will allow you to get multiple quotes and comparison to get the absolute lowest rates available.

Through the use of the internet, insurance agencies have become competitive, so shop around, get several quotes and choose the policy that’s right for you. The use of the internet gives the consumer access to many insurance companies at her fingertips, and now shopping for car insurance has become stress-free.

It is wise to ask your agent about the discounts available. This simple step is often forgotten, and the fact is that the agent works on a commission so he isn’t going to be quick to tell you about them. The more you pay, the more he makes. But factors like a high credit score, a spotless driving record, airbags, anti-theft measures and gps locators, and even another insurance policy with the same company will all help you obtain a lower rate. Make sure you leave no stone uncovered in this area!

Taking advantage of public mass transit systems will save you money on your rates as the insurance company will factor in how many miles you drive per year. The more you drive, the higher your rate as it statistically increases the chances of an accident.

You may not have thought of this, and your agent will likely not mention it, but taking a defensive driving course can help reduce your rates even further. The expense will be negligible compared to the savings that it will bring.

our decision on which vehicle you choose to buy will determine whether you receive low premiums or not. Keep that in mind before you make a purchase.

Some cars receive higher safety ratings than others. Volvo is legendary for designing safe vehicles. Besides design, air bags, anti-lock brakes, roll-bars, side impact re-enforcement and other life-protecting features will bring further reduced insurance rates.

You may want to consider trading in your vehicle if it has a poor safety rating or lots of horsepower. Besides having a perfect driving record, the type of vehicle you drive will play the biggest part in the cost of your car insurance.

If you want to get a long term care insurance quote, it is essential that you know some of the factors involved. This particular article will give you six essential factors to take into consideration. If you want an ltci quote, there is so much information you will want to know about so that you can make an informed decision. This information is based upon factors such as what type of benefits you want to receive when using your policy.

A long term care insurance quote is contingent upon many factors and following are some of the points to consider. Your age and what type of benefits will cause your quote to vary.

The types of benefits you receive will help determine your cost of long-term care. These types of benefits can include whether you will receive in-home services, care at a nursing home or from services based in your community.

The cost of your ltci quote is contingent upon age so the younger you are when you purchase ltci will cause your premium to be lower.

Different costs for quotes can be based upon what company you request a quote for. You should ask your employer if they offer ltci.

Your quote can be contingent upon how you want benefits to be paid out. Some policies allow you to spend a certain maximum in whatever way you want while others offer a maximum based upon a daily, weekly, or monthly time frame.

You have the option to choose when you are able to start using benefits and this will cause a change in your insurance quote.

You will want to think about what kind of daily benefits you will receive. Your quote will be higher when you want higher daily benefits.

This article should have opened your eyes to a greater degree to what to expect when receiving a long term care insurance quote. You want to have as much information out and on the table when talking about this because it is important to know what to expect with your policy.

With many carcinogens, risk factors, increasing diagnoses of diseases and so many more harmful toxins it is important to consider critical illness insurance from a life and health insurance licensed and qualified financial services advisor. Critical illness insurance is a form of health insurance that provides you with a lump-sum payment should you fall seriously ill. Diseases that fall into the category of critical illness insurance vary from plan to plan but illnesses may include cancer, heart attack, blindness, stroke, Alzheimer’s, multiple sclerosis, organ transplants, kidney failure or paralysis. There are all conditions that are life threatening that may cause one to be severely ill or may result in death. These illnesses debilitate an individual and no longer allow them to do the activities they once loved and took pleasure in. Just to live everyday is a struggle and an uphill battle for patients with theses sicknesses and critical illness insurance can help you fight that battle if you are in financial need.

If your health plan or benefit plans at work do not cover costs in the event you become severely ill, you may want to consider critical illness insurance as a back up or an alternative plan. You can always plan ahead, but you cannot rewind or go back in time, protect yourself now by consulting with a financial services advisor about what is available to you. When consulting with a financial services advisor, one thing to keep in mind is your personal circumstances and situation currently, if you become intensively ill, would you have enough funds to uphold your lifestyle and dependents? This can be a scary thought, that not many like to think about, but preparing for the worst is necessary when we live in an age where there are so many incurable and unknown diseases. Added financial strain can be put on you and your family if you contract a serious illness covered under critical illness insurance. Plans can help with day to day living costs while you are on bed rest or confined to a wheelchair. Critical illness insurance considers factors such as travel costs to and from treatment and also thing such as home care and childcare.

If you have been diagnosed with a severe malady, you may be eligible for critical illness insurance. Medical bills and supporting dependents can become a burden when you do not have a steady flow of income. The younger and healthier you are, the lower the premium cost is, as a general rule. Do not wait until you hear the shocking news, many people think that it will not happen to them but statistics show differently because critical illnesses are on the rise. You can make a claim for critical illness insurance if you have been diagnosed by a physical licensed to practice medicine in Canada then you may submit a claim with a financial services advisor to receive the financial compensation you deserve. A lump sum payment will be distributed as soon as thirty days after the claim is made with no restrictions or limitations on how you decide to spend the funds. With an unfortunate reality of critical illness taking ahold of citizen’s lives, it is necessary to consider critical illness insurance for both your health and the well-being of your dependents.

No homeowner wants to have to file a home insurance claim, but sometimes due to our own lack of foresight, it does happen. The majority of home insurance claims, which boost the insurance rates, were from completely preventable accidents. If you know what to do, you can keep your premiums at a minimum and manage to keep your home safe, at the same time.

Some insurance claims are particularly common and can be prevented if you know what to watch for.

Water Damage

Pipes leaking or freezing can cause a lot of water damage in a short amount of time. Often, we don’t notice leaking pipes until they have already caused a lot of problems. The best way to prevent this very common issue is to inspect pipes on a regular basis and get them fixed immediately if you find any problems. Don’t wait for a major drop in water pressure to warn you that there’s a big problem, have a plumber check out any suspicions.

Frozen and burst pipes can be an issue during the winter in colder areas. If you are going to be out of the house for a while, be sure to set the thermostat above freezing and arrange for someone to check the place a couple of times a week while you are gone, particularly if there is a sudden drop in the temperature.

Electrical Fires

Most fires that cause damage to a home are due to poor wiring or a short circuit. Older homes are certainly more vulnerable to this issue, but any home can suffer from an electrical fire if they aren’t careful.

Regular inspections of cables and cords should be done every 3 months or so. Look for sockets that are coming loose, wires on appliances that may have been stripped or separated from the plug head a bit, and anything else. Wires should never be run under a carpet or across an area where they will be stepped on, since this can cause some serious problems with fraying and later cause a fire.

If you move into a new home, have an electrician do a complete inspection for faulty wiring, just to be on the safe side. Yes, it will cost you, but in the end, it’s worth it because you’ll have lower monthly home insurance rates.

Lamps, Christmas lights and other lights should be turned off rather than left on all night. The majority of electrical fires start during the winter, particularly during the holiday season.

Burglary

You’ll want to make sure that your home is as secure as possible against thieves who could not only cause damage to your home, but also your family. Make sure there are locks on all windows and doors and install an alarm system.

An automatic light system can be a great safety item, turning lights on and off randomly throughout the house while you are away. Even if you tend to work late, this can be helpful, keeping the potential burglars in the dark as to when you actually get home. A predictable schedule puts your home at risk.

Keeping your home safe and secure is just common sense. You don’t want to suffer from any problems in the home, of course, but the added problem of having the rates for your home insurance rise is a big problem when things go wrong.

Take the time now to prevent these common issues and make sure that you schedule routine inspections and you should have no problems with your insurance. Most problems are completely preventable, so you’ll be covered when something unexpected happens.

If you own a home, you should have homeowner’s insurance and, if you own a car, you should have auto insurance as well. Both of these items are necessary to protect you against many of the damages that may occur. This is so you do not have to pay significant out-of-pocket expenses for damages that may occur to your home as a result of a break-in, a natural disaster, or even fire. As for your car, you do not want to lose your hard earned assets in a lawsuit if you are cited to be at fault in a car accident. You also don’t want your expensive car to be damaged by a falling tree or some other tragedy that results in you having to pay for the damages yourself. Insuring yourself can save you so much money if any of these things occur.

So yes, it is true that having insurance saves money and prevents a lot of headaches from occurring. So much money can be saved by having coverage that it produces a sigh of relief in those who have it and experience such a disaster as a car accident or a house fire. However, it is possible to save money on the policies themselves. It is just a matter of knowing how and knowing the right questions to ask. It is a simple thing that is really good to know because you could save 10% or more on your insurance, which can be significant when you take into consideration how much you pay on a yearly basis for your insurance.

Saving money

If you have your home insurance and your auto insurance with two different insurance agencies, move one of the policies now. However, there are questions you want to ask first before making the decision as to which policy to move. You want to ask each of your insurance providers how much of a discount they will give you if you bundle the two policies and if the discount applies to the entire amount or the premium of just one policy. Think about these things carefully because you can save money if they will take the percentage off of the entire premium amount instead of just one. However, you may run into the situation where one gives a bigger discount on one policy, so you may have to crunch some numbers to see which is going to save you more.

You may be able to negotiate with them. See which one is able to negotiate and see if you are able to receive an even better discount with one over the other. Once you crunch your numbers and you see who will save you the most money, you can then open either your auto or home insurance policy with the one that will save you the most money and close the policy out with the other provider.

Bundling

Unfortunately, not all insurance providers mention bundling to their customers. Even if the customer only has one policy with a particular provider, it isn’t uncommon for that customer to have other policies with other providers. Although the provider may not ask, the customer can ask what would happen if they opened their auto insurance policies, etc. with them. Would any money be saved? If they say yes, that is wonderful because you can have all of your insurance policies in one place. If it is determined that no money will be saved either way, it may still be convenient to move your policies to one provider because your payments will not be so scattered around. All of your payments can be made as one

All car insurance is the same, right? Wrong. Anyone from the United States moving to Canada or moving from Canada to the United States will find that car insurance in both countries is different. It may be hard to fathom how there can be variations in car insurance since there seems to be enough stipulations with car insurance the way it is but, being that the two countries are different, there are differences to be aware of.

Canadian car insurance basics

Let’s say you’re a U.S. Citizen moving to Canada. You know that in the United States you have an insurance card. In Canada, you do receive something similar that goes by a different name. It is called your Canadian Inter-Province Motor Vehicle Liability Insurance Card, or your pink card.” As far as how you use the card and carry it, it works the same in both countries, such as for showing proof of insurance upon request and using it in case of an accident.

However, the way injury claims are handled can vary based on the province. A good example of this is the fact that Quebec requires that injury claims are taken care of by a government program, rather than a private insurer. If the accident or the injury due to an accident takes place outside of Quebec, then that is when the private insurer takes care of the claim.

The Canadian government requires that private insurers within the territories and provinces have a standard set of terms and conditions available with the policy. This means that all terms and conditions will be consistent between all of the insurance companies. After this point, the provincial and territorial governments then set additional standards and what they decide to be the lowest limits available for liability coverage on the vehicle.

Another difference you will find between U.S. car insurance and Canadian car insurance is that Canadians do not receive printed policies when the insured is covered under a government insurer. The vehicle registration is actually proof of that insurance since the registration to the car cannot be drawn up without some kind of insurance being placed upon the vehicle.

U.S. Car Insurance Basics

Where Canada requires drivers to be insured by either a private insurer or a government insurer, the United States is chalk full of private insurers that are regulated by their respective states. It is required in most states than an individual carry at least some degree of liability insurance. Liability covers bodily injury liability. Many individuals who do not have liens on their vehicles will carry liability insurance because it is more cost effective than full coverage. Full coverage is required when there is a lien on the car. This usually means that the car is owned by a bank, such as when a person has acquired the car through financing and has not yet paid the car off.

Something else in the U.S. that is different than in Canada is that the Canadian Provinces of Manitoba, Quebec, and Saskatchewan do not allow an individual to sue for pain and suffering when a motor vehicle accident has occurred. The only way to do this is if any permanent disfigurement has occurred, severe disability, very severe mental or psychological damage, or death.

Similarities

Nevertheless, there are similarities between the insurance of both countries and that is the fact that there are many different deductibles and price ranges available. That means each person has their own policy that they carry that can be different than everyone else’s in terms of the rate, the deductible, and the coverage. Most importantly, both of these car insurance systems work to ensure the insured are taken care of.

Years ago, people never bothered about long term care or thought about it. As parents aged, they often relied on their children to care for them. Today, most parents do not want to burden their children with their care in their old age. And people are living to a remarkable old age as well. This is one of the reasons why you should consider long term care insurance.

What is long term care insurance? Long term care insurance allows for you to provide for your own care if you happen to become incapacitated and need long term care. As people get older, there is a 70 percent chance that they will need some sort of long term care in their lives. While part of this care can be covered by Medicare, most of it is not. This is where long term care insurance steps in. It can cover what Medicare does not instead of allowing your care to eat away at your savings.

Who should get long term care insurance? We never know what the future will bring. It is advisable for you to plan for your future as there is a good chance that you may need long term care. This involves care in a rehabilitation facility as well as an assisted living residence. Most hospitals will send patients to rehabilitation facilities as soon as they are out of danger and Medicare does not cover much of those costs. This is why it is important for anyone to get long term care insurance – to plan for their future.

What type of plans are available? Your plan will depend on your age and health. You can get a plan that will pay $150 a day for your long term health care for up to four years. One of the best aspects about this type of plan is that the money is drawn out of the pool of money set aside in the plan for your long term care. Many times, people go to rehab and then are back out. When this occurs, you do not have to continue paying and your money stays safe in your plan, ready to be used again if you need it.

You can also get an inflation option on your long term care insurance package as well. As you know, $150 years from now will not be worth as much as $150 today. For a few dollars more a month, you can get an inflation rider on your insurance package.

One way to save money for the long term care insurance package is by getting a higher exclusion period. There are exclusion periods of 30, 60 and 90 days. This is similar to a deductible on auto insurance. The longer the exclusion period, the less expensive the policy.

Long term health care insurance is something for everyone to think about, no matter what health you are in. We never can be sure of what the future holds. It is best to be prepared with long term care insurance.

Do you feel like you are in debt prison? Are you in financial turmoil wondering how you can continue to keep everything from imploding on you? Did you know that there were actually debtor prisons in America before the Revolutionary War? Robert Morris, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, was imprisoned in the 1700’s for failure to pay debts. The bible also warns against borrowing more than we can afford to pay. Proverbs 22:26-27 says do not be a man who strikes hands in pledge or puts up security for debts; if you lack the means to pay, your very bed will be snatched from under you.

Credit card use has continued to grow in leaps and bounds. From 1996 to 2005, the total number of bank credit cards almost doubled. In 2004 alone, credit card companies generated $43 billion in fee income from late payment, over-limit, and balance transfer fees. The Federal Reserve reports that the total US consumer revolving debt reached 2.46 trillion in 2007. This large increase in card usage has created a “fee feeding frenzy,” among credit card issuers. The whole credit card industry has really evolved for the benefit of creditors in recent years, with the industry imposing fees and increasing interest rates if a single payment is late. Penalty interest rates usually are as much as 30-39%, while late fees now often are $39 a month and over-limit fees are as much as $35. If you consider how that can add up over just one year, it could be very expensive. Consider this: late and over-limit fees alone can easily rack up $900, and a 30 percent interest rate on a $3,000 balance can add another $1,000.

The bottom line is, credit card companies want to issue as much credit as possible to as many people as possible and hope you barely make the minimum payment. It’s the exact same way these cash advance companies all over town work. They couldn’t care less if you ever pay it off. In fact, they do not want you to pay it off. While most card issuers claim this is the cost of doing business, consumers should not be charged excessively for small errors. Ultimately we are responsible for our own financial choices and credit purchase decisions. However its clear to see that credit card companies will continue to entice and market low teaser rate introductory offers (the bate) and make it easy for us to use the cards. This is attractive to the consumer because they can avoid waiting and have the items or purchases they want now. But what price will we actually pay for these items?

That said, roughly $355 billion in mortgage loans are set to adjust during 2008, to significantly higher interest rates. This means many borrowers may face additional difficulties. Hopefully the Bush administrations plan for a rate freeze for adjusting arms and foreclosure prevention will help many consumers avoid catastrophe. The combination of mortgage woes and credit card debt pileup has made many people feel as though they just walked out on a pirate ship plank with nowhere to turn.

So, what is the best way to find the road to financial prosperity?

First and most importantly, if you are in an adjustable rate arm loan, check the date that it is set to adjust in your paperwork from your title closing. If you closed two or three years ago and took one of these teaser loans it will adjust 24-36 months from the original closing date. This is very important because when it adjusts it can increase by two or three interest points. Your lender should notify you 30 days prior to your reset date and you may get reminders from lenders vying for your business. Don’t get yourself caught in this self destruction.

Mortgage interest rates are anticipated to remain steady or dip slightly in 2008; this may be a good opportunity to refinance into a 30-year fixed-rate. The FHA modernization act will make refinancing a good option for damaged credit borrowers to qualify for up to 95% of their homes value at competitive single digit interest rates and avoid incurring prepay penalties. The teaser arms sold over the past 2-3 years are under extreme scrutiny due to the explosive foreclosure epidemic and its effect on the overall economy. The FHA Secure is also a great option for those who need help to avoid foreclosure, allowing them to roll in the arrearage. The future of sub-prime lending appears to be bleak at best. Many borrowers had little options other than 2 or 3 year fixed rate sub prime arms over the last few years because of credit issues, and aggressive lenders pushing these loans on poor credit borrowers. Unfortunately, these same borrowers are now in trouble and imploding due to a cocktail of housing value depreciation, adjusting rates and maxed out credit cards. The bottom line to most of these issues is proper guidance and good decision making. Additionally, it is prudent that you choose an advisor that will educate you about any loans that are different than the norm, like arm loans, negative amortization loans and loans that do not collect escrows. Now, if that is not upsetting enough, federal regulators pressured credit card issuers to double the minimum payment requirements on credit card balances. This can be both good news and bad news for many Americans burdened by debt. While it may force you to pay the balance down, it can mean disaster for many who cannot afford the extra out-of-pocket expense each month

They focus on providing quality and affordable coverage to their customers and are able to fine tune plans suitable to any persons personal needs. Anthem insurance has a team of dedicated professionals that strive to achieve every request that a consumer may desire. Their dedicated to putting the consumers needs first and foremost, and ensure that the highest level of privacy and respect with regards to your personal information is kept at all times. They will provide accurate information that enables you as a consumer to stay informed. This is how Anthem Insurance has managed to stay in the forefront off this industry for such a long period of time.

They focus on providing quality and affordable coverage to their customers and are able to fine tune plans suitable to any persons personal needs. Anthem insurance has a team of dedicated professionals that strive to achieve every request that a consumer may desire. Their dedicated to putting the consumers needs first and foremost, and ensure that the highest level of privacy and respect with regards to your personal information is kept at all times. They will provide accurate information that enables you as a consumer to stay informed. This is how Anthem Insurance has managed to stay in the forefront off this industry for such a long period of time.

When offered group health insurance coverage through an employer generally covers life, accidental death and dismemberment and health or medical. Some employers offer extra coverage in the form of vision, dental and sometimes group legal coverage as well. This is quite often the most economical way for a person to get coverage for themselves and their families.

Most companies do not go to such extremes to help their members, but not Blue Cross of California. They are an example of going above and beyond that which is necessary to help out others in their time of need. This is the type of company that earns the respect of their members and the community. They dont just take from the members they give back in many ways. This was just an example of one major undertaking that they took on.

Having been a provider of health insurance industry for over 60 years, Blue Cross has proven itself to be a reliable company to deal with for a wide array of consumer needs. Their years of dedicated service to their members have made them a leader in the health insurance provider field across the country. They have services for individuals and families, as well as plans for employee groups, both for the small groups of employees as well as the large.

Blue Cross also offers discounts for those that opt in to the Medicare Advantage or the Prescription Savings programs that they offer. These programs offer prescription medications at far more affordable rates than if a person does not have this type of coverage. They also offer special bonus offers to their members ranging from weight loss help, vision care options, alternative medicine therapies, as well as many other options that can be utilized if one so desires.

Blue Cross of California has gone out of its way to aid the victims affected by the fires that hit five of the counties in mid November of 2008. A donation of $50,000 to the American Red Cross was one of several ways that have been providing aid to these counties. Other efforts that they have put into place were a onetime replacement on any prescription that was damaged or had to be left behind by a resident. This enables a resident to be able to have the medication that they require, even if a refill is not yet due.

Many of the medical facilities that had been used by residents in the areas of the fires were affected in adverse ways and therefore the residents are unable to use them. Many of the residents are no longer in able to stay in the area that they would normally seek care. Blue Cross of California understanding that people will still need medical care, advises them to seek out care at the nearest facility to them, and they in return are paying the higher levels of reimbursement during this time.

There are many different types of health insurance available to choose from, whether it is in the private sector or through a group benefit plan through ones employer. The choice is entirely up to what an individual feels they need as well as what they can afford in their budget. There are plans to suit anyone available; one just needs to invest the time to look for one that suits their personal needs adequately. You must look into what your needs are at the time and starting looking around. Some people require a type of health insurance that will provide them with coverage while travelling, while others just need a simpler version for the normal needs in day to day life that may arise. Asking questions is always a good idea when investing in any type of insurance to ensure that a persons needs are met to the fullest. Friends and family are always a good source to ask for recommendations as well. But regardless of how one decides to choose there is an insurance plan out there for anyone!